Tracy Bloom is a fab author.
I love all things Christmas so this was right up my street!
I loved the idea of a different way of doing Secret Santa.
Really enjoyable read.

Thank you to NetGalley and HarperCollins UK for this ARC.

Jolene, a naive, wide-eyed but warm-hearted young woman starts in the Accounts Team of Bermondsey Council shortly before Christmas. She is there through a graduate training scheme and isn't given too much to do. But Jolene is tenacious, and she loves Christmas. She cannot understand the lack of decoration, Christmas party and festive cheer. There isn't even a Secret Santa because everyone is strapped for cash.

So she suggests a Secret Santa Project that shouldn't cost anyone anything bar a good deed to make Christmas the best for someone else in the team. To be honest, I would have laughed her out of the room, but her colleagues reluctantly agree, probably to shut her up.

The team consists of married manager Diane who had a career in theatre once and now has the unenviable task to axe one of her team before Christmas, Jerry who is American, gay and pining after his "coffee shop man", Stacey who is single Mum to 7 year old Grace and desperately wants a date for Christmas, Yang who is Chinese and secretly in love with Stacey, and Barney, the oldest, who lost his beloved wife three years ago and has not recovered yet.

Slowly we learn more about the characters and why most of them can't muster too much Christmas spirit - they are lonely, grieving or feeling worthless of love.

I love how interconnected some of them turn out to be but Grace is too precocious. She is obsessed with donkeys, which is fine, but no 7 year old talks like she does.

This book is as London-centric as it could be, which as a Londoner I totally appreciate because it doesn't actually happen that often in Christmas books.

For some reason the action concentrates on Diane, Stacey, Yang and Jerry and leaves Jolene and Barney just with scraps of background and plot. I would have wished for them to be fleshed out a little more.

I don't think it's spoilering to say that because it's Christmas everyone gets their Christmas miracle and the Secret Santa Project is a resounding success.

I've long loved Tracy Bloom's books and this is no exception. It's an extremely funny, festive and feel-good story about ordinary people at Christmas, which we all know can be a trying time for many. If you want to know how a donkey and some elves end up on the London Eye, you need to read this!

I loved this book. The different personalities of the characters and how lovely it was. I felt very cosy.

First of all thank you for approving my request!

I thoroughly enjoyed this book! The authors writing style had me hooked throughout this book.

I didn't want it to end, a book I really couldn't put down.

What a beautiful book. Full of moments that make you laugh out loud and warm your soul. This was my first Tracy Bloom but will not be my last I loved it !!

This book was SO good. I really love Tracy’s novels and this was like a hug in a mug. I’ve never read a book set in a local council before and let me tell you, I did not know my council tax paid for Christmas lights! 😅😂 thank you Tracy for educating me. Anyway, back to the book!!

The Secret Santa Project was fantastic. It tells the story of 6 people who all work in the same council office - all pick a name out of a hat and are told they cannot buy a gift for someone, they must do a good deed for their secret Santa.

This was a delightful novel. I loved the characters so much - Jolene especially because I have as much Christmas spirit as she did. I struggled to like Stacey for ages because she was so miserable/whingy but I grew to like her. I loved Yang and Barney and Jerry was okay. Diane, their boss, was incredible.

This novel had everything including a precocious 7 year old named Grace who loves donkeys. I thought she was a right tonic. She made me giggle.

This was a wonderfully warm novel and was filled with Tracy’s trademark warmth and humour and she’s such a natural storyteller, I devoured this.

A Christmas cracker!

Having read a lot of books by this author in the past, I knew this book would be fantastic, and it was.
It’s the most perfect Christmas read, so easy to read and cosy up to. Brilliant characters. Loved this book.

It's the run up to Christmas in the workplace, and new girl Jolene tries to get her very non excited colleagues into the Christmas spirit by organising a Secret Santa with a twist. Everyone has their own thing going on in the 'outside' world, as well as the usual office obstacles to contend with, which really made for a believable work environment and added depth to the characters. A different vibe from the typical cozy festive read that almost had quite a Bah Humbug feel going on at times, which made Jolene and her near impossible task even more endearing!

Some nice little interlinks and additions of characters on the outside of the workplace too. Light-hearted with tones of real life thrown in, I liked it 💚

I received a free copy of, The Secret Santa Project, by Tracy Bloom, from the publisher and Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. Jolene is starting a new job as a trainee, but her colleagues want to cancel Christmas, Jolene wants to change their minds, get them to embrace Christmas. This is not your typical holiday romance, it has a lot of twists and turns and surprises.

As usual in my reviews, I will not rehash the plot...

I've read quite a few novels by Tracy Bloom, so was pleased to be invited to read this one.

It was an enjoyable, light read - but with some grittier topics along the way too (such as bereavement, single parenthood, relationships various, workplace cutbacks, etc).

I think the author captured the all-too-common atmosphere of many office environments as the festive season approaches; some staff are entirely on-board and enthusiastic, whilst others are less so, or don't celebrate Christmas (some being happy to go along with office festivities anyway).
Gradually everyone's backstories make it clear why they have particular attitudes to both work and celebration.

The characters are a varied mix but include people that most could identify in their own workplaces, which made them instantly familiar. The child of the outfit - Grace - was a bit of a minx but added much humour! Jolene (one of the lead characters) was very much "an innocent abroad", with her love of all things Christmas and optimistic approach - I found myself hoping (despite her being fictional!) that she would always stay the same rather than becoming a cynical, downtrodden person.

This book will appeal to you if you like Christmas - possibly less so otherwise.

My thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for an ARC. All opinions my own.

Book Review: The Secret Santa Project

I want to thank NetGalley for providing me with an advance copy of The Secret Santa Project by Tracy Bloom. This delightful novel is exactly what I needed to kick off my holiday season. Combining elements of Love Actually and Groundhog Day, it offers a refreshing and comedic take on office holiday traditions.

From the outset, I connected with Jolene, a character whose enthusiasm for Christmas is infectious. Her excitement about the office Secret Santa was relatable and reminded me of my own holiday office antics. However, I quickly realized this year was different; her colleagues needed more than just silly gifts to lift their spirits. Jolene’s determination to create a memorable holiday for everyone was both heartwarming and inspiring.

The way Bloom portrays the chaotic yet joyous environment of an office during the holiday season had me chuckling throughout. Jolene's creative ideas to enhance the Secret Santa experience were clever and often hilarious. I found myself eagerly anticipating what mischief would ensue as she worked to spread holiday cheer.

The narrative is peppered with laugh-out-loud moments, yet it also captures the deeper themes of connection and community. Watching Jolene navigate her relationships with her colleagues, as well as the ups and downs of her own life, made for an engaging read.

Overall, The Secret Santa Project is a joyful romp filled with humor and heart. It’s perfect for anyone looking for a feel-good holiday read that celebrates the spirit of giving and the importance of togetherness. I highly recommend curling up with this book—it will leave you smiling long after the last page!

A new Tracy Bloom's book is always a treat. So I thought.
This one was not so much a treat. I don't know, it simply didn't work for me. Especially Jolene, who truly got on my nerves. On one hand, the characters were true to life and had to deal with problems, just like normal people. On the other, everything worked out so unbelievably smoothly for them, like all the dreams came true.
And guys. Hold me. I've never loathed a character as much as I did this time and you will probably never guess who it was. Grace. Never, ever, absolutely never will a 7 - year - old speak and behave like Grace. Totally unbelievable and I couldn't stand her, and I've never thought I'm going to say something like this about a child - character. 7 going on 70, in the worst way possible. She was not funny. She was simply not authentic.
I also expected much more humour from Tracy Bloom. This story felt somehow much too depressive and it has never happened before but I started to skim - reading some of the passages. Too many pages, too less conflict.

I'm dissapointed, because I had great hopes for this one, but well, sometimes the book don't gel with you, or you don't gel with the books.

What a feel-good story to make me feel warm and fuzzy! This book was packed full of the best dry humour, sweet moments, shocking plot twists and ended with me crying happy tears. I adored it!

Every time I thought I found a favourite character or story, I'd start the next chapter and change my mind. The story is such a brilliant snapshot of a small office team over the Christmas period. Tracy did such an amazing job of making me feel connected to the characters emotionally but also making me laugh. They were so relatable and I felt so invested.

Jolene is a gem (oh to be able to view the world as she does!) and Yang is an angel who needs to be protected at all costs!

This was such a gorgeous Christmas story and thank you so much to Harper Collins UK for the opportunity to read and review this book via NetGalley.